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I am still looking for more info on this soundbar. From a basic "sound quality" stand point, how does it stack up to the competition? (it will be for my master bedroom)

Thanks.

There is no competition for this sound bar, it's not a toy like most of the sound bars talked about on this forum and it's an amazing price. The only drawback is the size compared to others but if you can fit it then you will be more than happy.

To Serp07 - Hi, can you share the name of the stand you have this speaker on over your set? I would love to get this, but am afraid the wall I was going to mount it on won't support its weight, 37 lbs? Can anyone else suggest a stand that can be placed over the set for this beast? Thanks for any help!

I was not initially impressed with the sound quality of this soundbar but later realized that the WD media player that I used was outputting only in 2.0
So I decided to fix that and built an HTPC based on Foxconn a88gmv AMD chipset, 7.1 Realtek ALC 892 audio and Radeon HD5450 which turned out to be quite compact, smaller than my receiver.
Well, I have to admit that now my sound is where I want it to be.
Its much more crispier, very much on par with Energy I previously owned.
Even the lower bit streams from Pandora sound great.
And I can't say enough about the soundstage of this speaker - its simply amazing.

To Serp07 - Hi, can you share the name of the stand you have this speaker on over your set? I would love to get this, but am afraid the wall I was going to mount it on won't support its weight, 37 lbs? Can anyone else suggest a stand that can be placed over the set for this beast? Thanks for any help!

Found one on local craigslist, there are plenty on Amazon
Its a STC Space Saver TV and VCR/DVD Combo Mount and can handle up to 130 lbs. I used the top tray only and had to spray paint black.

I recently purchased an Energy Elite Bar and im not happy at all with it. Pretty poor music playback and movies with bass are just not there. So its going back. I like the soundbar concept, just think I want something that I can control the settings and has decent bass. Was planning on returning the Energy bar and getting Pioneer SVX 40 (receiver) BIC PL-200 (sub) and a pair of B&W 686 bookshelf speakers. But I think Ill can save about $400 by not getting the B&W speakers and going with the Formula FH56 bar and PL-200 deal on Amazon or Ebay. Already send than an email. Hope the soundbar sounds better running it through a receiver and not through the tv. Very new to all this.

Just email Mike Embers from acoustic sound design and ask him to replace the shown H100 sub for the PL200. He quoted me $389 for the FH-56 AND the PL200 combined and shipped to my door free!!! That is the steal of a lifetime!

Just emailed Mike, price has gone up, but he still offered a pretty good discount. Fast response too, ordered mine just now

Just got mine a few days ago... fast shipping and great deal, definitely recommended!

So far havent really cranked it up too loud (I live in a condo building), but even down low it sounds pretty darn good for a budget setup. I am downgrading from a much larger tower 5.1 setup plus dual 15 subs, as I'm not in a house anymore.

So I am looking to buy a soundbar / sub combo and stumbled across this thread. I am pretty much decided on picking up the H-100/PL-200 and FH56 combo and was wondering if any of you guys could give some insight into the differences between the two and whether it is worth the $80 difference in price.

A little background on myself, I am just now learning as much as I can about home audio in order to try to make an informed decision. Since I do not have much experience, I do not have a very descerning ear to distinguish subtle differences between products and I live in a condo, so the difference in wattage ratings probably will not be too much of a factor (expecially due to the diminishing returns of each watt of power.

That being said, the only differences I have read about have been on paper (22Hz vs 24Hz, power ratings, etc). With my relatively naive view, would any of you think that there is a noticible difference in performance between the two subs?

There was one thread that addressed this question two years ago, and I am hoping that there will be more of a definitive answer now that more time has passed.

Wife and I bought a new home and now she does not want any of the velodyne speakers put up (appearance factor...doh!). To appease her, I am going to go with a soundbar option instead (and I personally do want want to run all that wiring myself throughout the room). I was going to go with either the JVC TH-BA1 (convinced by all of Davyo's posts and comments) or the Sony CT550W (for HDMI connections) and sell off all of my 5.1 equipment (probably as 1 complete system).

Now I find this soundbar and am beginning to question all my previous research I have done and wondering if my current system will work as good as or even better. Please help me with my questions:

1) Based on my Onkyo specs, I believe I gain more video coding options with the JVC/Sony option than with the Onkyo receiver. Am I correct about this?
2) Sound wise, will my receiver and BIC soundbar/ Wired Subwoofer be better than JVC/Sony with wireless subwoofer? (I know room design/layout plays a HUGE part of this, but overall opinions would be welcomed!)
3) When watching HD tv or movies, is dialogue clear and crisp or muted due to the sound stage created? (I have ready posts about how this is an issue for some people with the JVC / Sony systems)
4) Does this bar work better being below ear level or at / above ear level? ( I ask this question due to the size of it. Mounting 37lbs above my tv (above ear level) is not something I look forward to doing versus putting it below the tv on a console (at or below ear level).

I hope I have not asked too much from everyone here. I have read and researched just enough to make me "think" I am an expert at all of this ( I am the first to admit that I am NOT!). At the end of the the day, as long as my wife is convinced I am , then I am good to go.

the pinnacle is only a LCR speaker. the bic is all 5 channels, though it could be used as just a LCR speaker. I have not heard either, but on paper the bic looks better. bigger drivers, lower freq response, 5 channel input,etc. plus it cheaper than the pinnacle. in the coming months i plan getting the bic and pl200 combo.

JVC BA1 / Sony CT550W vs. BIC FH-56 Opinions & Advice Wanted!
Hi everyone!
I am coming back to AVS to get help again since my last purchase (6+ years ago!!). I currently have the following 5.1 sound system:
Onkyo TX-SR604 (specs here: http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR604&class=Receiver&p=f)
BIC Acoustec H100 Subwoofer
Velodyne Front Row 5 piece speaker set
Wife and I bought a new home and now she does not want any of the velodyne speakers put up (appearance factor...doh!). To appease her, I am going to go with a soundbar option instead (and I personally do want want to run all that wiring myself throughout the room). I was going to go with either the JVC TH-BA1 (convinced by all of Davyo's posts and comments) or the Sony CT550W (for HDMI connections) and sell off all of my 5.1 equipment (probably as 1 complete system).
Now I find this soundbar and am beginning to question all my previous research I have done and wondering if my current system will work as good as or even better. Please help me with my questions:
1) Based on my Onkyo specs, I believe I gain more video coding options with the JVC/Sony option than with the Onkyo receiver. Am I correct about this?
2) Sound wise, will my receiver and BIC soundbar/ Wired Subwoofer be better than JVC/Sony with wireless subwoofer? (I know room design/layout plays a HUGE part of this, but overall opinions would be welcomed!)
3) When watching HD tv or movies, is dialogue clear and crisp or muted due to the sound stage created? (I have ready posts about how this is an issue for some people with the JVC / Sony systems)
4) Does this bar work better being below ear level or at / above ear level? ( I ask this question due to the size of it. Mounting 37lbs above my tv (above ear level) is not something I look forward to doing versus putting it below the tv on a console (at or below ear level).
I hope I have not asked too much from everyone here. I have read and researched just enough to make me "think" I am an expert at all of this ( I am the first to admit that I am NOT!). At the end of the the day, as long as my wife is convinced I am , then I am good to go.
thanks for all of your help everyone. It is grealy appreciated!
Regards,
Eric

Its been a year since I got FH65 and H-100 sub, and I haven't looked back since.
I m sure there are better set ups out there, and in no way this bar will substitute floor standing or shelf speakers w/rear channels.
Still, as far as the sound bars go, FH-56 is in its own category.